Biography
A lifelong resident of Halton Hills, Rick Bonnette takes pride in having served the community as Mayor since 2003. First elected to Council at the age of 27, Rick was recognized by the Province in 2008 with the Long-Standing Service Award. His public service was again recognized in 2012, when he received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for his dedicated service to Canada and in 2013, he was honoured by the town for his 30 years with the municipality.
In 2009 Rick put the town on the map attracting international attention with his fair trade campaign that arose in opposition to the Buy America Act. Interviews with the BBC, CBC and other media solidified his position as a gregarious and outspoken advocate for Canadian businesses. Locally, Mayor Rick leads a Council team whose priorities include sustainable development, fiscal prudence and communications. Rick has personally championed forward-thinking ‘green' initiatives in support of the environment and public engagement strategies to stay connected with the local community.
Related resources
- Congratulatory Message from the Mayor
- Mayor's Message
- State of the Town Address (December 11, 2018)
- Inaugural Speech (December 3, 2018)
- Learning About Doing Business with China (November 17, 2017)
Welcome to Halton Hills
Welcome to the Town of Halton Hills, ‘Small Town Living at Its Best’. Halton Hills is a community of communities. Our population is approximately 60,000 which consists of two urban centres, Georgetown and Acton, three hamlets – Glen Williams, Stewarttown and Norval, as well as several smaller settlements and the 401-407 Premier Gateway employment area.
Halton Hills has long been recognized for its natural beauty, active agricultural community, high quality of life and proximity to major centres, including Brampton, Mississauga and Toronto.
The Town is the recipient of multiple national awards for its innovative and leading-edge work and we are consistently ranked as one of the Top 5 small communities in Canada by a national magazine. We also signed a friendship partnership with Wenjiang District, Chengdu City, the People’s Republic of China, further illustrating our visionary and strategic thinking.
With more than 46 park sites and open spaces to choose from, residents of Halton Hills can enjoy a wide range of outdoor recreation activities. From formal park sites with a variety of facilities and amenities including splash pads, sports fields, ice pads and trail heads to the natural open spaces along ravines and woodlots, there is something for everyone to get outdoors and enjoy!
Residents of the Town enjoy two new libraries; one in Georgetown and Acton. The Halton Hills Public Libraries provide free access to best-selling books, eBooks and eReaders, newly released DVDs, CDs and more. Both libraries have green features which help save money and reduce our carbon footprint.
We also feature state-of-the art arenas, following renovations and remodelling at both the Mold-Masters SportsPlex and Acton Arena. You can enjoy pleasure skating, pick up a game of shinny hockey with your friends, play a competitive sport like lacrosse or show your support as an enthusiastic fan in the stands. There’s always something going on at the arena!
For your shopping pleasure we have two very active BIA’s; one in Georgetown and Acton. Shoppers can also experience the Georgetown Marketplace which features more than 60 stores. The Town is also home to the Toronto Premium Outlets™. The Toronto Premium Outlets offers upscale outlet shopping with an impressive collection of retailers.
Whether you are a resident living here or travelling through; the Town of Halton Hills has something for everyone!